South Africa Overcomes Adversity to Defeat France 32-17 in Thrilling Encounter
In a nail-biting match, world champion South Africa rallied from a halftime deficit and a red card to defeat France 32-17, handing Les Tricolores their latest disappointing loss. The two teams met for the first time since the 2023 World Cup, where South Africa knocked out host France 29-28 despite being down in the first half.
France took the lead at halftime, 14-13, thanks to two tries from right winger Damian Penaud. The Six Nations champion seemed poised to capitalize on their advantage, especially after Springbok lock Lood De Jager was given a red card for a dangerous challenge on France fullback Thomas Ramos. However, the French team failed to take advantage of their numerical superiority.
The turning point came when French left winger Louis Bielle-Biarrey was sin-binned for a deliberate knock-on, reducing France to 14 players. South Africa seized the opportunity, with André Esterhuizen scoring a try after a rolling maul. Replacement scrumhalf Grant Williams then added a converted score, effectively ending France’s hopes.
France’s indiscipline had given South Africa a string of penalties, which flyhalf Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu had earlier converted into points. Penaud became France’s all-time leading try scorer with 39 tries, but his efforts were ultimately overshadowed by South Africa’s resilient performance.
The match marked a significant milestone for South Africa’s captain, Siya Kolisi, who became the ninth Springbok to play 100 tests. Despite being down to 14 players, the Rugby Championship winner held firm, with Kolisi cheering his teammates on from the touchline as they launched a superb comeback.
France’s defeat will be a disappointment for coach Fabien Galthié, who will need to regroup his team and address their discipline issues. As Thomas Ramos noted, “We need to move on and stop dwelling on what happened two years ago. We need to believe in our system.” The loss will serve as a wake-up call for Les Tricolores, who will look to rebound in their upcoming matches.